..Rahul Gandhi, the 43-year-old scion of India's most famous political dynasty, has launched the ruling Congress party's campaign for re-election in polls due next spring with a promise to bring in a "young government".

Analysts agree that 120 million first-time voters in India will be crucial in determining if the current coalition, in power since 2004, can win in what is predicted to be a bitter and close contest next year.

Half of Indians are under 26, with an even higher proportion in the big, poor northern states such as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, where Gandhi addressed large rallies on Wednesday.

The main opponent for Gandhi and the Congress party is Narendra Modi, the controversial chief minister of Gujarat state and prime ministerial candidate for the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP), a Hindu nationalist conservative party which held power before being defeated in 2004.

Modi's reputation has been tarnished by allegations that he failed to protect Muslims during sectarian rioting in Gujarat in 2002. He is however popular with the business community and among many urban voters.

"Both parties are attaching much importance to a campaign in tune with the aspirations and cultural mores of young people. The BJP aims to inject a bit of pop culture. The Congress seems to be going back to the 1970s slogans of 'banish poverty'," Dasgupta, the analyst, said.

Gandhi stressed the problems of poor, rural communities " historically the core support of Congress " in Wednesday's rallies but was careful to mention young people.

"In 2014, it will be a poor man's government, a government of youths. We will empower every section of society. I am not scared and there is no one to scare us," Gandhi told one rally in Rampur, 150 miles north-west of Delhi, the capital.

The Congress party hope that a pledge to massively expand India's huge food security subsidy scheme will offset the traditional swing against incumbents.

I'm not a fan of Modi and I hope NDA fronts a more neutral candidate such as Nitish Kumar (Bihar CM) as PM candidate. Or even better, somebody like Manohar Parrikar (Goa CM) or Raman Singh of Chattisgarh. Given a choice, I would pick these any day over Modi. That said, I find this question loaded and singles out BJP in a nation where every political party has blood in its hands.

We have 3 main options at the national level:
Congress: The makers of Emergency, Sikh terrorism, Bluestar, IPKF, 1984 massacre, 2G scam, Shah Bano & Opening of Babri gates and countless massacres since 1947: List of massacres in India. Their inept rule keeps India in poverty (leading to 100s of unnecessary deaths everyday) and regions they dominate are the worst for farmer's suicides. Under Congress, we are just one step short of becoming a monarchy. Arguably the most corrupted option.

NDA: The makers of Babri Masjid crash and 2002 riots. Their attitude towards minority is arguably a little poor than Congress. However, they are arguably more development focused.

Third Front: The hodgepodge of regional parties who have ruined/are ruining Indian states in various ways. This includes Mamata (whose inept handling of Railway ministry has spiked accidents), Communists (who have economically ruined every region they ruled), Mayawati, Janata Dal (the party which brought our worst PMs: VP Singh, Dewe Gowda, Morarji Desai & Chandrashekar). At various points this also includes Lallu, Dravidan parties of TN, etc.

Goa CM -- and a better choice for BJP.
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Selective Bias
We should all indeed be angry about 2002 riots. I used to hangout all the time at a close Muslim friend's house back then and his mom was so scared to let us travel across India for our research work. BJP really angered me then and I was even more disappointed with Vajpayee for not dismissing Modi as a matter of principle. For years, I ignored every news article about Modi.

We have reason to be angry about that incident. But, why stop with just that? Congress led Delhi & Haryana lead the nation in crime against women. Congress led Maharashtra leads the nation in farmer suicides. Congress ally Lalu ruined Bihar and made it lawless. Their ally Owaisi has presided over communal riots in Hyderabad. Why not let us be indignant about that? Are some lives more worthy than others?

Sikh riots of 1984. Killed 5 times more people than 2002 riots. My friend's whole family was burned alive. By Congress, in capital, in full sight of our Prime Minister Rajiv.

Do you want to vote for a party that has scammed us left & right? Do you want to vote for a party who is cluelessly fumbling with the economy? Do you want to vote for a party whose poor management is killing the rural farmers 1000 times more than Gujarat riots?

On the other hand, NDA led states such as Goa, Bihar and Gujarat have managed to perform well on development indicators in the past 5 years. Under BJP, Bihar and Chattisgarh have turned to become India's fastest growing states (clocking over 12% GDP growth y-o-y). Not saying much better, but relatively better. Chhattisgarh's GDP growth highest in 2009-10 .

Whether it is Telangana or 26/11, the present Congress government looks like a deer in headlights unable to make any decisive direction. In contrast, previous BJP government showed a little more balls whether it be Pokhran or economic reforms.

Time and again, present Congress leadership has shown its ineptness in leading us.

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Lack of development is the worst form of violence
The Modi-phobia is a classic case of a statistically rare event completely playing with rational choices. For instance, we hyped SARS scare & other rare diseases when more common diseases such as TB kill a million times as many. During Gujarat riots 790 Muslims and 230 Hindus perished in a really sad week for modern India.

However, let us also not forget that 50,000 people die in India everyday from disease, starvation, poverty, violence apart from natural causes and a chunk of this can be saved through better development. Lack of development is a far more heinous violence on our populace. Whomever we decide, we have to see their development track record.
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Lesser of evils
Now, when you are asking Modi supporters to justify their choice, I will turn the question and ask how non-Modi supporters can defend their choice of far worse barbarians. I mean how can you support a party that is so outright corrupt. I mean which rational person can vote for Rahul Gandhi (whose party presided over some heinous crimes in the past 5 decades). Which rational mind will vote for Mamata & Lallu & Mayawati?

Assume you are picking fast bowlers for Indian cricket team. What is the point of getting angry at Zaheer for being worse than Akram or Steyn. What matters for selection is whether he is better than rest of Indian fast bowlers. As simple as that. However, what many non-Modi supporters are saying is equivalent to: "Since Zaheer is worse than Dale Steyn, we have to go back in time and pick Debashish Mohanty." (Sorry Mr PM).

Politics is about picking the least of evils. Even assuming Modi was involved in 2002 riots (our legal system says one is presumed innocent unless proven), his competitors have been involved in equally horrific crimes.

Do you want to support people like her, if you want to not support BJP?
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Epilogue:
It is still not too late for non-Modi BJP supporters to ask for a more of a pro-development person (the people I mentioned in the first line). But, the reason should be development & not just facts thrown without context. If enough anti-Congress people prevail over BJP for Parrikar or another development oriented CM, it might still happen. Just as it showed in Vajpayee's case, when middle class come out to back that party it picks better candidates. But, by staying away from the party, middle class has let hardcore right to take up the party.

I really hope someday we will have better choices and when I don't need to pick a guy like Modi. It will come when we educated get in and make a difference. But, if nothing else changes there seems to be no option but Modi. When you pick someone you are not picking his competitor & viceversa. Whether you vote or not, you are making that choice. Own that choice.

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Summary:
Modi is the only way to stop Congress. And Congress must be stopped to show we care about governance & corruption. Let us even forget their ancient follies. Have you all forgotten 1,76,000 Crore 2G Scam? Have you forgotten Common Wealth Games fiasco? Have you forgotten Owaisi's hate speeches? Have you forgotten Prathiba Patil? Have you forgotten Sibal's repression against free speech? Have you forgotten all the misgoverance that every business leader from Ratan Tata to Narayanamurthy has spoken against? So, none of farmer suicides, rapes and riots matter to you?

If you have forgotten all the above, don't delude yourself that you are any more righteous, any more moral, any more holy than any Modi supporter. Wake Up

Without going into history of 1947-2000 I will only talk about the last term of Dr. Manmohan Singh, because I cannot write a book on the achievements of Congress on this forum like AIIMS, IIT, IIM, Democracy, 1971, Nuclear power, Technology, etc etc... so let me just give you very few highlights of last term and I guess that should be more than enough for you:

Right to Information Act, 2005
FOREST LAND PATTAS FOR DWELLERS
National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005
Farm Loan Waiver now Rs. 72,000 crore
India's Nuclear Energy Program & The 123 Agreement with the United States
National Rural Health Mission
Sarva Shiksha Mission and Mid Day Scheme
Delivering growth rate of 8.8%

I said that I would not go in past but still I would say one only one achievement of Congress from past and that is the biggest achievement. India is India not Pakistan because of Congress. Because of Congress and Nehru's vision, India is secular democratic republic and a successful country else it would have been a failed state with either dictatorship or failed democracy like Pakistan. Thanks to Nehru-Patel duo that India is SECULAR not RELIGIOUS and is democratic.

Yes congress made mistakes because Congress is also run by humans, they are not run by angles who cannot make mistakes, but the good thing is that, they learn from their mistakes and more forward.

Is Congress Providing A Good Leadership For India?

Yes, indeed it has. Congress provides a very good leadership for India as :-

Rahul Gandhi, a name which needs no introduction. Young, dynamic and absolutely dedicated personality who is bringing difference in the way Indian youth perceives politics. He is an example of the mindset India needs in its upcoming leaders. He has a flair for growth. His focused approach and mass appeal makes him a successful political face.

He actually has many reasons to be called a youth icon and one of them is his simplicity. Rahul Gandhi rules Indian hearts not by swords and neither by fake promises but with his truthfulness.

Backbone for growth of any country is always the competency of its resources. Today, at every level our country needs well educated human resources who are willing not just to spend a lavish life at personal level, rather dedicate their knowledge and their management skills for betterment of the motherland.

Rahul Gandhi is exactly implementing the above said and leading through example. Currently holding the position of General Secretary in Congress, the ruling party of India, he is not concerned about just a single aspect, state, tribe, cast or religion but the country as a whole.

His dynamic and vibrant approach is very much visible in every single message he delivers. He believes a lot in the power of youth and trusts that the country needs young leaders to nurture the hidden competency of the country.

Rahul is a role model for the upcoming generation and with due respect he reciprocates the same feelings. His speeches are always inclined towards the power of youth and he in-turn takes youth as his role model to maintain his dynamism and energy required to lead. He has always welcomed the youth to politics and that too with out setting any fake expectations but rather asking for self less engagement.

His education, his intelligence and a mature mindset help him dig deep comprehension of India"s position in the world and his patient and long term approach helps to understand India"s prospects and potential to sync well with global standards.

Anyone making great efforts always gets criticized by those who cannot bear the heat. Under similar conditions this great leader has been receiving appreciations as well as criticisms from the society but he has always moved ahead on the same positive node.

Other than the 2002 riots, Con does not have any point to oppose Modi... in 1984, BJP met Home Minister on the day of Indira Gandhis death and asked to protect sikhs even if Hindus were killing Sikhs.
How a 43 year old man can form a YOUNG Government... lol...
Anyway, I prefer Modi.